Service-Learning Scholars

(List of Current Scholars)

Service-Learning Scholarships provide highly motivated students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a service-learning project for ten weeks in the summer in a setting outside of the classroom. Scholars work in a Delaware community agency (non-profit, governmental, community-based action research, or service-based corporate activity) and simultaneously pursue academic reflection under the guidance of a UD faculty mentor. In this immersion-learning experience, students spend the bulk of their week working in the community and one-quarter of their time in academic reading, discussion, and reflection.

Projects can be conducted in any major. Strong proposals will either expand work done in a course with the faculty mentor or prepare for an upcoming service-learning course with the faculty member. Proposals will explain the goals of the project, the questions you seek to answer by the combination of service and reflection, and the purposes of the service portion of the project. To address the service portion if social service is involved, explain the societal needs being addressed by the project; if a governmental agency, explain the agency’s concerns that are addressed by the proposed project.

The reflective portion of your project should include a preliminary bibliography and address questions in terms appropriate to the academic discipline(s) in which the project is being conducted. The end product of this project might be a written document (technical report, feature article, academic paper, journal, etc) or a presentation.

Your faculty sponsor will be asked to provide a letter of support that describes the learning to be achieved through this project, especially the reflection portion and how it builds on or sets the foundation for service-learning coursework. An official representative of the sponsoring agency will be asked to include a statement of terms of your placement.

Funds Available: Service-Learning Scholars receive a $3,000 stipend and an additional $500 housing allowance to enable students to participate in individual faculty-guided service-learning projects during 10 weeks in the summer. Faculty sponsors receive $500.

Proposals: Due March 3, 2008. Awards Announced April 3, 2008.
Advisement: Contact Sue Serra, Office of Service-Learning

Service-Learning Scholars Handbook: For more information about the Service-Learning Scholars program please refer to the program's handbook, which can be accessed in Adobe format here: Handbook

Service-Learning Scholars Symposium

At the end of each summer, scholars, community partners, and faculty sponsors come together for lunch and a presentation of projects by the scholars at the Service-Learning Symposium. The 2007 Symposium will be held on August 10th from 9-1 in the Perkins Student Center.